Royal Interviews

Interview | Nine

Moving on to our next winner, here we've Grisha2610, who is the winner of Esthetíque Grand Awards 2022-23, from Poetry section, with their artistic collection titled as Drops of scarlet. Let's head over to the talk our interviewer had with the winner.

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I: Interviewer
W: Winner

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I: First of all congratulations on grabbing first position in the awards. Being a poet is a unique ability to have, what kind of struggles do you face while writing the poems?

W: I think writing poems is kind of a dual sword for me. On one hand, it is a struggle to intertwine words and literary devices while remaining creative and poignant. On the other side, it is the best way for me to express my emotions and let my own problems be reflected in different characters. So, the struggle is important to ensure I keep my poems experimental.

I:Ah, that's such a great answer! My next question is, as writers have a pre-writing method, do you've any process that you do before writing a poem?

W: I don't necessarily have a strict regime that I follow before writing a poem. But I make sure I have my diary and a black pen with me because that is the only way I can write poems. I also need some sound while writing so I either put on a podcast or a really slow song. Sometimes, I also play my piano or guitar since they help me get the rhythm right for my poems and put me in a creative mood.

I: That sounds cozy! What are your favorite songs and podcasts to listen to while writing a poem?

W: Interesting question. I generally put on the H3 podcast which is pretty comedic and makes me feel quite comfortable. While I prefer more up-tempo music namely punk and pop-rock bands, I've found artists like Radiohead, Bjork, Pink Floyd to be really inspirational for my writing process because of their calming yet complex melodies. Specific albums by them would be Kid A, Homogenic, and Animals.

I: They're great choices indeed! What made you take part in Esthetique contest?

W: I had actually stopped submitting my works to awards since I grew quite jaded about the whole system. But I was in the Esthetique Book Club and decided to give the awards a go. And I'm glad I did!

I: Does writing poems also require inspiration as writing novels? And the ideas for the poem come to your mind at a random time or when you sit to brainstorm a poem?

W: I would say the process for novels is very different. Although all my poetry collections are conceptual, the poems are not restricted to certain styles or topics. I can be inspired by a lyric, an emotion, a flower, etc. for poetry, but for novels, I need to plan out the characters, plot, and world-building. It's more rigid and less fluid in nature. Sometimes I have to sit and really focus to figure what I am going to write about, but mostly I already have ideas in my head about my poems. However, the primary problem lies with materializing those ideas and executing them with perfection. When I started writing poems, I would finish them in 15 mins because I was so eager to get my ideas out. Right now, it can take me anywhere from 30 mins to 3 days to write a poem and it all depends on my mood and creativity on a particular day

I: Ah, that was a very precise. Are you working on any poem now and can we get a glimpse of your writing? If you'd like to share it.

W: Thanks for asking! I am currently working on a collection that focuses on emotions being expressed through different flowers, told from the perspective of Greek muses and Chinese goddesses. Drops of Scarlet is very dark and brutal in its writing and themes. However, this one is more dreamy and earthy in its presentation but no less melanchlolic.

I stand on sapphire waters,
Crying in a creek,
Bearing the cold beneath.

A specimen that will never flower,
Ringed with rusted reeds,
Never turning over a new leaf.

Brushing against me-
Slithering serpentine skin,
Floating grey fin.

I meet the rains of sorrow,
Devouring its tears,
Laying still with my running peers.

A songstress hiding below,
Feigning shields again
Will I be their beloved and dear?

Humming tempting tunes to-
Nests of melodious mockingbirds,
Rush of rivers ruptured.

I bear the lake's splatter,
I endure the cloud's patter,
Winged taunts I suffer.

I lie lonesome.
I die despairing.

They call me burdensome.
'The ugly lily's never repairing.'

I shed off my drab attire,
I give in to the shabby mire.

Heedless I was,
Heedless I am,
Heedless I remain.

Timeless my grief,
Timeless my horror.

Loveless I was born,
And,
loveless your words of scorn.

-Grisha.S

I: It's such a beautiful poem! We're in total awe. My next question: who inspired you to write poems?

W: Initially, there were these very shallow and meaningless poems in our english textbooks and I thought to myself I can write better than that which was quite naive and arrogant of me now that i think about it. But I really got into poetry in the pandemic after I started diversifying my music taste. I don't really read poetry collections. So I would say music is my primary source of inspiration along with Chinese and Japanese literature.

I: What is the hardest part of writing a poem?

W: The hardest part of writing a poem is finding the right words that rhyme and make sense within the context of the piece I'm writing. I still use a thesaurus if I ever feel stuck within my vocabulary but I'm trying not to depend on it anymore. Structuring a poem also has complications, especially when the writing process is more free-flowing. But these challenges also make poetry more engaging for me.

I: From where do you take inspiration when you're disheartened? Like from real life or on google or on social media?

W: Most of my poems contain elements of my real life and they are very pessimistic. So I definitely take inspiration from the disheartening and depressing things in my life. I have tried to be more optimistic in my poems about the dismal situations I face but so far, I keep veering into sadness. In regards to social media, I don't really consider that as something important so I don't get inspired by that.

I: Your favorite poets or poems?

W: Japanese haikus from Murasaki and Yukio Mishima and Li Qingzhao are probably my favourite poets/poetry.

I: Thank you for your time :)

🌻🌻

Thank you so much for your precious time, grisha2610, and also for sharing such a beautiful poem with us. We wish you all the best for further journey.